Science

Researchers have created a cheaper, simpler and twice as strong synthetic version of spider silk – but the process was still wholly inspired by nature. Scientists Anna Rising, Jan Johansson, and Marlene Andersson working at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and at Karolinska Institutet took advantage of this knowledge to help create an artificial spider silk protein in …

Research provides additional insight into how one of Pluto’s moons affects the continuous stripping of Pluto’s atmosphere by solar wind. Pluto’s relationship with its moon Charon is one of the more unusual interactions in the solar system due to Charon’s size and proximity. It’s more than half of Pluto’s diameter and orbits only 12,000 or so miles away. To put …

A five-year, $46.6 million investment from the Canadian government—through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)—will ensure that ONC continues to lead the world in ocean observatory science and technology. “This is terrific news for ONC and for the future of ocean science globally,” says UVic President Jamie Cassels. “We’re very grateful to the Government of Canada for its continuing commitment …

SNOLAB is expected to create around 20 new jobs over the next year thanks to $28.6-million in federal government funding to help support its operations over the next three years. The funding announced today will sustain scientific excellence at SNOLAB and ensure the facility maintains a leadership role in the global deep underground research community. “SNOLAB is delighted to be …

Astronomers are predicting that binary star system KIC 9832227, located in the Cygnus constellation, will merge and explode in a “red nova” event in 2022. Calvin College professor Larry Molnar and his students along with colleagues from Apache Point Observatory (Karen Kinemuchi) and the University of Wyoming (Henry Kobulnicky) are predicting a change to the night sky that will be …

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has been chosen to supply instruments to NASA for a pair of Discovery-class missions that aim to explore asteroids that might help scientists understand the earliest history of the solar system. Lucy—named for the famous prehistoric human fossil—will launch in October 2021 to study six of Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. Scientists say understanding the differences …

NASA astronauts have installed adapter plates and electrical connections necessary for three of six new lithium-ion batteries to be installed on the International Space Station. Thanks to the help of the Dextre system, Peggy Whitson and Commander Shane Kimbrough finished the task in just four hours. They were even able to get other tasks finished ahead of schedule. The two …

Mysterious giant ‘Alien Claw’ with warped skulls unearthed in tunnels in Peru. And they also claim to have found an elongated human skull near the dig site, which they say was in a desert in the South American country. Although they have refused to reveal the exact location where the sinister hand was discovered, the researchers say the finding was …

The start of the new year is a great time to look forward to forecast what’s next. In that spirit, IBM published its annual ‘5in5’ forecast today, providing a glimpse into five innovative areas of technology that Big Blue expects to see in the next five years. A core element of all five predictions is the use of Artificial Intelligence …

Canada’s MDA to supply NASA with spacecraft platform for asteroid mission. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, a global communications and information company, today announced that its U.S. business unit, SSL, was selected to provide a spacecraft platform for a NASA Discovery Mission to explore the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche. SSL will work for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to support Principal …

Japanese company replaces office workers with artificial intelligence. An insurance company has replaced almost 30 percent of its workforce with an artificial intelligence system that is capable of calculating insurance payouts and analysing a range of text and media. 34 humans will lose their jobs to the machine. Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance believes the move will improve operating efficiency and …